No miracle for LeBron James and the Lakers!

The Denver Nuggets showed their power and swept the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference Finals, which allows them to play in the NBA Finals for the first time in their history.

The Lakers tried

The Lakers tried, they had the advantage at halftime, winning against the Nuggets in the first (34-28) and second quarter (39-30), with a 15-point lead by the Lakers. But in a fatal third period, everything slipped away from them, with a 16-36 disadvantage that placed Denver ahead and they never let go of the lead. Not even because they had more points in the last quarter (22-19), in which James missed two shots that would have meant a tie, while Aaron Gordon blocked his attempt at the buzzer.

Historic performance by Nikola Jokic

Historic performance by Nikola Jokic, who achieved his third triple-double in four games of this series with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, earning him the Magic Johnson Award for MVP of the Western Conference Finals. Jamal Murray was the second offensive force with 25 points, allowing Denver to reach the Finals for the first time in their 47-year history.

LeBron James' efforts in vain

It didn't matter that LeBron James had his highest points total in a playoff game (45), as he couldn't overcome a Nuggets team that was superior in all aspects. Meanwhile, Jokic achieved his eighth postseason triple-double, surpassing the seven that Wilt Chamberlain achieved in 1967.

The Nuggets' next challenge

Now, the Nuggets will have a long break before the Finals start on Thursday, June 1st. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat have a 3-0 advantage, and unless the Boston Celtics win four consecutive games, it seems likely that Jimmy Butler's team will be their opponent.